Well, I have had my GCs and AGX shocks sitting around for while because I can't get a bolt off part of the suspension. I have tried using a ratchet and I just ended up stripping it to hell. Today, I took it over to my friends house and we used an impact wrench to get it off. I really don't know what to do about it. The bolt is just not coming off. Should I just take it to a shop? How much do you think they will charge to put the suspension on? Any ideas to get it off are appreciated. Thanks

 

Is it the rear LCA bolt? If so, it's seized up to the bushing, and is a common problem. Try a load of PB blaster over night, or some heat (torch). If neither of these work, and you don't mind gettin' rid of your OEM shocks, just use a breaker bar to snap the head off the bolt, and cut the shock fork. Then hammer that beotch outta there. It's a huge pain in the *** tho, I will admit.

 

i just finished my rear suspension..omfg what a pain in the ******* ***. i'm a 100% diy guy but this was just not worht the pain, frustration and time. i had the trailing arm bolt break, and the strut bolt on the other side rounded off. i nearly broke the trailing arm bolt on that side as well.

all in all took me about 3 FULL days of work spread over a week to finish this project.

phew glad i had already ordered oem replacement bolts tho so those went right in along with LOTS of never seize all over everything hahaha

 

wow I came upon the same problem today with the rear suspension on my red 97 Civic EX 2dr 5sp. I haven't been able to get off the shock yet. I saw the shocks I bought for it, Gabriel's from Autozone, didn't have anything threaded to accept a bolt on the part that mates to the LCA, so I worked on the nut after the bolt wouldn't budge after alot of penetrating oil..... usually the nut is easier than turning bolt through the hole and the nut. however... I found out it this case the nut was welded to the shock! This is because I used a torch to loosen it and loosen it did, enough for me to unbolt the welded-on nut with a cheater bar on a 1/2 drive rachet. This was pretty cool I thought and made me confident in removing stuck bolts with my new torch (!), but it makes me look for a second opinion too. Should the shocks I ordered be threaded or should there be a 19mm nut for them or should there be something welded on? Also, now that the bolt and nut are loose, I can turn both and remove the nut, however, the bolt is jammed in because of the pressure fromj the spring/shock. Haynes manual doesn't say to compress the spring before you remove it from the car, but it this case it seems to be the thing to do. What do you think? What's the best way to go at the as yet untouched passenger side? Luckily I put it back together and all is well... hoping I can change this up this week though instead of hanging on to this shocks. Thanks for your help!

caveman

 

actually, this bolt was on the front shock, but now I am definatly not looking foreward to the rear ones.

 

This seems to be a common problem for you Northerner's. I had no problems at all on my 96 DX down here in the south. I know that's no consellation for you guys, but I think the snow and road salt plays a major factor in these bolts seizing up. Good luck getting everything apart. I would spray all the bolts with some type of lubricant a day or so prior to attempting the rest of the job.

 

Which bolt? Be specific..I can probably help.

 

U can heat the bolt up and try it that way, or just get a cobalt drill bit and drill that **** out. U can always rethread it if u need too. Thats what works for me.

 

I found a good way to get those stuborn bolts off. After i broke a 3 ft breaker bar trying to get the nut off my hub i borrowed an 8 ft piece of fence post from my neighbor and put that over my rachet. Took them off with no problem.

 

Are you putting the impact wrench on the bolt head or on the nut? Put it on the nut and have someone hold the bolt head with a wrench or do it yourself, def. use rust penetrate and hit it with a hammer a few times to loosen the rust, otherwise heat will help you a **** ton.

I dropped my crx the other day and I had this problem on the LR control arm through bolt for the shock/strut.

be patient though its better to take your time and get it loose then to rip on it until it snaps.